“This frightening storm is like the norm now/It’s been going on so long, I’m worn out,” St. Pete hip-hop regular Pedro el Poeta Jarquin declares in the first verse of his newest song. “No Peace,” along with its music video, pretty much emphasizes everything that needs to be said about the atrocity that is 2020. And it comes with guitar riffs Run-DMC would definitely approve.
El Poeta starts off by complaining about how every time he opens his phone, he knows that he’s about to be reminded that there’s always literally something controversial going down every hour in America. “Trust your leaders, not the doctors,” a television in the music video says.
The song continues to reflect upon other aspects of quarantining, such as the stupidity of reopening schools, and the notion of not being a selfish asshole by refusing to follow safety protocols. (“Humans ain't meant for isolated states/But I don’t wanna decide someone else’s fate”). Meanwhile, the music video shows Pedro elbow-bumping two women, which evolved from what could have been a deadly hug. Also thrown in is the motif of Pedro being behind bars. Unless he’s alluding to the BLM movement, he’s clearly feeling imprisoned. He knows staying home is necessary, but like all of us, he’s sick of it.
Oh, and did you notice the shades of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction?” Listen to a few of those guitar riffs, and the chorus again.
Either way, the tune is an ideal two cents on the world of those who want to feel a little less alone. Though it’s been a minute since a full album has surfaced, Pedro has been dropping singles left and right on SoundCloud since quarantine began. This includes “Let Us Breathe,” a BLM anthem he whipped together with fellow St. Pete hip-hop regular Michael Jo’Mae back in June.
Watch the clip below.
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This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2020.